Longest you've prayed in tongues?

"I find it incredibly difficult to pray in tongues for longer than a minute or two honestly.

I don't find it "difficult" - but then I also don't try to "force it", either.

"I do pray in tongues often throughout the day."

SO do I.

"Am I alone in this?"

I suspect not.

michaelmynameIs said:

interesting...what would be the psych reason behind habitual sarcasm?

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Its hostility disguised as humor... when I really look at it. And I do bc its not a very good Christian witness, I can see that it's usually done with a smile and a jab... kinda like a little put down, I'm better than you... kinda thingy.
There is a spiritual cloud over the NE, starts in NJ and goes through to Conn. I haven't been farther but I've seen it every time I cross the Delaware Memorial Bridge into Jersey... although we are praying a break through.

I'm very serious about this right now. Sarcasm can be funny but it is usually at the cost of someone else.... I have managed to eliminate about 90% of it. I used to be really good at it.... a true witch with a capital B, until the Lord started showing me my own heart. Pretty ugly stuff. Makes me really appreciate the fact that He bothered to save me, since I was not looking to get saved.... I am in awe of His great love, mercy and grace toward me while I was an atheist.... it reminds me to love those who don't know the Lord also. I call them the pre-saved....

God bless, andrea

onlybygrace84 said:

I find it incredibly difficult to pray in tongues for longer than a minute or two honestly. Though I do pray in tongues often throughout the day.

Am I alone in this? Not that I'm asking you to brag about your prayer habit, but are there any who have prayed for several minutes, perhaps even hours in tongues? That'd be cool to know and hear about

Thank you Holy Spirit for your gift in us!

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I've never timed it and find it kinda odd there are some who do In my opinion, it's a lead-in to pride.

onlybygrace84 said:

The point of my question wasn't to see who was timing their prayers and not. It was to see if I was/am the only one who finds it incredibly difficult to pray in tongues for longer than a minute or two at a time.

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No, you're not.

Never for me. ☺

In 1981 I prayed in tongues for about 3 1/2 hours.

i referenced it elswhere so its fresh on my mind...

look at the writing on the wall in Daniel...

3 words...which interpret into much more.
and be encouraged... in the Spirit...time..has no meaning.

I prayed in tongues for half an hour on the bus the other day, under my breath. I don't notice it really do anything and it's really repetitive, so meh.

Andrea411 said:

Its hostility disguised as humor... when I really look at it. And I do bc its not a very good Christian witness, I can see that it's usually done with a smile and a jab... kinda like a little put down, I'm better than you... kinda thingy.

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The best definition of sarcasm I've heard is that sarcasm is veiled hostility. Very close to what you're saying.

If you have read any of my printed material you will know that I present the truth, that we all speak/pray in tongues both passively and actively. Most people pray in tongues and do not actually realize they are doing it. We have the misconception that tongues will come in the form of a foreign language known to men. But this in not the case (unless of course we are talking about "diversities of tongues" mentioned in 1 Corin 12). "New tongues" which is introduced by Jesus in Mark 16 and spoke of at length by Paul in 1 Corin 12-14 is not in any known language. It is meant for God and God alone. Only He understands what is being said.
You pray in tongues every time you groan, sigh, weep, or cry forth from the spirit of Christ in you. This is passive tongues. I teach that we should learn to speak in tongues actively, that is, we should pray "on purpose, with purpose." You can pray in new tongues right now! Just locate the movements of your born again spirit, and attempt to verbalize what you are detecting. This is praying in the spirit (little s). You are speaking forth from the spirit of Christ in you with inarticulate sounds. You do not understand them, but God does! This is not supernatural like diversities of tongues. This is "merely spiritual." It is merely spiritual because the utterance issues from your born again spirit. You are speaking to God in mysteries. "Mysteries," in this case, are merely things hidden to our natural man. No man listening to your soundings will understand what you are saying. They will sound like gibberish to the unlearned. Some may even think you are crazy or drunk. No matter. HE by HIS supernatural power can look into your spirit and know exactly what you are meaning.
You can speak in tongues until you are just plain worn out. As long as the words are expressing the movements of your reborn spirit, you are praying in new tongues and God is hearing you!

Love ya
Dids

SpiritPsalmist said:

I've never timed it and find it kinda odd there are some who do In my opinion, it's a lead-in to pride.

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Soldiers in the army train in a very disciplined and consistent manner. Why? Because it develops habits that soldiers need.

Consider how many hours Christians watch television, browse the internet, and waste time with worldly pursuits.

What the Body needs now is a wave of disciplined soldiers who are willing to carve out an hour or two or more of devotion time every single day. That doesn't come by accident.

onlybygrace84 said:

I find it incredibly difficult to pray in tongues for longer than a minute or two honestly. Though I do pray in tongues often throughout the day.

Am I alone in this? Not that I'm asking you to brag about your prayer habit, but are there any who have prayed for several minutes, perhaps even hours in tongues? That'd be cool to know and hear about

Thank you Holy Spirit for your gift in us!

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Personally I think it is a mistake to think of tongues like a spiritual hammer and nails. I know plenty who do, but after much thought on the matter and following my heart and conscience on the matter (trusting God's Spirit's leading), I think trying to "use" tongues as a spiritual tool of sorts is taking a spiritual thing and basically turning it into works.

I'll elaborate. I used to speak in tongues during Pentecostal prayer groups because I felt like it was what I was supposed to do. In retrospect, I believe I abused the gift in this manner.

I can't speak for others, but to me tongues is something that just happens when the presence of God is moving. I will feel an urge to do so and in some rare cases I have been unable to fully contain it. For me it works almost like a proximity detector to the move of the presence of God. That said I find it to be almost entirely passive on my end. When I try to do so deliberately it feels wrong and unnatural, even sinful.

Kalasin said:

I prayed in tongues for half an hour on the bus the other day, under my breath. I don't notice it really do anything and it's really repetitive, so meh.

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That doesn't mean it's not doing anything of value in the spiritual. Don't give up just yet. Go for an hour next time and I bet you will notice something happening. For me, it's usually the 40 minute mark and beyond that I start to feel the effects.

The Unforgettable Fire said:

Personally I think it is a mistake to think of tongues like a spiritual hammer and nails. I know plenty who do, but after much thought on the matter and following my heart and conscience on the matter (trusting God's Spirit's leading), I think trying to "use" tongues as a spiritual tool of sorts is taking a spiritual thing and basically turning it into works.

I'll elaborate. I used to speak in tongues during Pentecostal prayer groups because I felt like it was what I was supposed to do. In retrospect, I believe I abused the gift in this manner.

I can't speak for others, but to me tongues is something that just happens when the presence of God is moving. I will feel an urge to do so and in some rare cases I have been unable to fully contain it. For me it works almost like a proximity detector to the move of the presence of God. That said I find it to be almost entirely passive on my end. When I try to do so deliberately it feels wrong and unnatural, even sinful.

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This is not Biblical, though. All of the Spiritual gifts are "according to His will," except for tongues for edification. That's the only gift the believer can initiate and there's a reason for that. We are not like babies that need to be changed and fed, we are grown up in Christ. We can do this on our own when we see fit.

Why do you think Jesus called the Holy Spirit the Comforter? After spending all this time the last year or so pressing in in tongues I can see how beneficial this can be to bring comfort in times of need.

AGTG said:

This is not Biblical, though. All of the Spiritual gifts are "according to His will," except for tongues for edification. That's the only gift the believer can initiate and there's a reason for that. We are not like babies that need to be changed and fed, we are grown up in Christ. We can do this on our own when we see fit.

Why do you think Jesus called the Holy Spirit the Comforter? After spending all this time the last year or so pressing in in tongues I can see how beneficial this can be to bring comfort in times of need.

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What is not Biblical is doing something that violates one's conscience. I described how I felt it was wrong for me simply to engage in it unless it was a response to the move of God. You are welcome to feel differently, but it is hardly unBiblical for me to follow what I believe is God's leading in accordance with my conscience.

The Unforgettable Fire said:

What is not Biblical is doing something that violates one's conscience. I described how I felt it was wrong for me simply to engage in it unless it was a response to the move of God. You are welcome to feel differently, but it is hardly unBiblical for me to follow what I believe is God's leading in accordance with my conscience.

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onlybygrace84 said:

It's hard for me obviously even still to even try and push through for a few minutes in an unknown language for various reasons. But I honestly feel like I must stop almost as soon as I start. It's encouraging to read testimonies of those who can pray in tongues for hours, it really is. I don't view it as pride at all reading it, almost makes me jealous, but it's a good jealous, as in Paul saying "desire spiritual gifts." type jealous....

If I get to that point, awesome, if not, that's okay too. I have complete faith in Jesus as my Shepherd and the Spirit as my Guide to lead me exactly how they want me. If that's praying in tongues for hours then so be it...

One thing I would like to interject:

In Acts 2 it says Judeans were present and part of the group saying they heard their own language etc.... Isn't Judea where Jerusalem was, so it would seem some of the 120 were not speaking a new language at all, but rather Spirit-Inspired speech as this thread of mine would suggest:

http://www.christianforums.com/t7819011/

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I'm not faulting people who pray in tongues for hours on end. That is between them and God. I am just sharing my personal point of view. I'm not offended by those who pray in tongues for 10 hours, I also however don't accept other's judgments of me because I do not.

In the spirit... time has no definition.